This blog is meant to display my coins/currency notes/stamps, in an informative manner, which would be useful to users in knowing about the history of the period when these coins/banknotes/stamps were minted/printed and events/persons they honour/depict, both on Indian and foreign coins/banknotes/stamps. The content would be more in the nature of a walk down memory lane through my collection/articles.

A
Special Cover has been issued by H.P Postal Circle, Department of Posts, India
on the Tara Mata Temple, Shimla on 29.04.2016:

The Front of the Special Cover

On the Front of the
Special Cover is a picture of the Tara Mata Temple. Below the picture is
mentioned “Tara Mata Mandir, Tara Devi Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, Bharat” (in
Hindi) and “Tara Mata Temple, Tara Devi Shimla Himachal Pradesh, India” (in
English). The Rs.5/- stamp is of Patna High Court, issued in 2015. The
Cancellation Stamp is inscribed “Tara Mata Mandir, Tara Devi Shimla, Himachal
Pradesh, Bharat” (in Hindi) and “Tara Mata Temple, Tara Devi Shimla Himachal
Pradesh, India” (in English) and shows a picture of the temple in the centre.
The place of Cancellation is Shimla GPO and the date of Cancellation is “29.04.2016”.

The Back of the Special
Cover

On the Back of the Special
Cover is inscribed:

“Maa Bhagwati Tara Devi
temple is located on Tarav Parvat in the western side of Shimla Town about 15
km from Shimla situated by the side of Kalka-Shimla National Highway near
Shoghi. The road meandering uphill through the sweet smelling of pine forests and
lush green meadows with the cool gentle breeze touching one softly infusing a
freshness and vigour in the devotees, pilgrims and tourists visiting this holy
shrine. The location of the temple on
the Hilltop makes it appear that the goddess Maa Tara Devi seems to keep
everyone under her protective gaze, showering innumerable blessings on her
worshippers. The history of this temple dates back to about 250 years when this
temple was built here. There is a belief that the Goddess Tara was brought to Himachal
Pradesh all the way from the Eastern State of Bengal”

There is also the name of the approving authority H.P. Postal Circle, Shimla and the logo of India Post on the Back. The approval no. for the Special Cover is HP/03/2016.

About
the legend of the Tara Devi Temple, Tara Devi, Shimla:

The temple dates back over
250 years. There is a legend that the goddess Tara was brought here from
Bengal, when a king from the Sen Dynasty visited this area. It is said that he
brought his family deity in the form of a small idol encased in a locket which
he always wore on his upper arm.

For many years, the idol remained encased as
such, but in the 96th generation of the Sen Dynasty, Raja Bhupendra
Sen one day had an unusual experience while hunting in the dense forest of
Juggar, near the present temple’s location, when he had a vision of his holy
family deity “Maa Tara” along with
her Dwarpal Bhairav (“Dwarpal” means “Door keeper” or “Gate-keeper”)
and the God Hanuman. She expressed her wish that her presence should be made
known to the common people.

The Raja immediately
earmarked substantial land and built a temple dedicated to the Goddess Tara in
which a wooden idol of the goddess was installed in accordance with Vaishnav traditions.

Later, another king Raja
Balbir Sen of the same Dynasty dreamt that the Goddess wished that the temple
be shifted to the hilltop of “Tarav Parvat”.
The Raja got a beautiful idol made of “Ashtadhatu”
(meaning “eight metals”) and had it carried by elephant to be installed in the
present temple in the “Vikram Samvat”
1825 (“Vikram Samvat” is a Hindu
Calendar started during the time of King Vikramaditya and is 56.7 years ahead of
the commonly used Gregorian Calendar).

The Sen Dynasty of the
erstwhile Keonthal State has carried on the family tradition of worshipping
their family deity “Maa Tara” on “Ashtmi” day (eighth day) during the “Navratras” (“nine day festival” of the
Goddess Tara). A “Mela” (Fair) is
also held during this period.

About Me

I am Rajeev Prasad, a retired State Bank of India officer who had been collecting coins in a shoe box without having a serious interest. Only after quitting my job I got the time to take serious interest in developing my coin collection into a hobby. A pity, because I would have had more opportunity to lay my hands on more 'exclusive coins' while in the Bank. Anyway, as they say,better late than never. If you have any views to share with me regarding this blog , please contact me on my email rajeevprasad1208@gmail.com. I also have a twitter account @prasad_rajeev.
I had an opportunity to participate in a Documentary on the life and times of the 25 paise coin titled “Chal Basi Chavanni” (The four anna/twenty five paise coin passes away), aired by STAR NEWS on 29th and 30th June 2011. The programme helped in making many persons hold back onto their “chavannis”, the little round beauties, instead of returning them to Banks .